Investigators Find Cause of Plane Crash That Killed 3 Wyomingites

RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) — A final report from federal investigators says the plane that crash in northwest Minnesota killing three Wyoming residents likely occurred because the pilot lost control due to spatial disorientation.

The 69-year-old pilot Moy Wing died along with 27-year-old Brian Duke and 26-year-old Zach Ostertag when the single-engine Cessna went down shortly after takeoff from the Thief River Falls airport in September 2017. The plane was heading to Rawlins, Wyoming.

The report from the National Transportation Safety Board found that the aircraft departed in weather conditions that required the pilot to fly primarily by using the plane's instruments instead of by sight.

The report says the pilot was not rated to fly in such conditions and was aware of the situation before choosing to depart.